Oh, Abbie. You'll actually laugh at this. Or not.
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Amanda Goff Reveals Abbie Chatfields True Self
Oh, Abbie. You'll actually laugh at this. Or not.I didn't want to write about you this week. I told myself: 'You know what, Amanda, give Abbie a break. She's do...
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I didn't want to write about you this week. I told myself: 'You know what, Amanda, give Abbie a break. She's doing it tough at the moment.'
For those who don't know, there's some history between us.
Ms Chatfield once posted private DMs I'd sent her on her public Instagram. My sin? I suggested that dumping your boyfriend because he supports - a view she and others had expressed - was, frankly, silly.
Normally, I wouldn't have cared. But I mentioned my children in those messages. They're off limits.
I was furious. She clearly thought I was fair game because I'd disagreed with her, so she published my texts and sent her barmy army after me.
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Abbie Chatfield (pictured with boyfriend Adam Hyde) is starting a new chapter as a less divisive, more measured political commentator. I'll believe it when I see it, writes Amanda Goff
For years, Abbie was legitimised by the media, even as her words went beyond the pale
I'll never forget it. It was one of those rare moments when the mask slips and you see exactly who you're dealing with. I've always said, how someone acts when they feel invincible - and she really was then - is when you see their true colours.
Still, life moved on. My attention drifted to other Sydney celebrities who are arguably even more annoying - like , for example.
But then… there she was at the top of my Instagram feed once again.
And readers, I did not see this coming: - a staggering 10 minutes long - from the queen of hot takes. Abbie had apparently discovered that, yes, sometimes nuance and fairness are better than ranting whatever comes off the top of your head… or posting people's private messages without permission.
But in my view, this apology wasn't the result of a come-to-Jesus moment. It looked straight out of the 'I've f**ked around and now I'm finding out' playbook.
Let me explain.
As I watched Abbie walk back her year-old, inflammatory remarks about Trump - unrelated to the 'dump your boyfriend' saga we fell out over - many suspected this was damage control. Her boyfriend, Adam Hyde, had just been denied entry to the US over an unspecified visa issue.
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It's not 100 per cent certain that Abbie's online rhetoric played a role, but he was refused entry over 'national security concerns'.
The upshot of Abbie's apology this week is that she now seems to be pivoting away from her bulldozer approach to political discourse and embracing something - dare I say it - a little saner
But I digress.
The upshot of Abbie's video is that she now seems to be pivoting away from her bulldozer approach to political discourse and embracing something - dare I say it - a little more sane.
The timing, when it's conceivable her views could have consequences for her partner's music career, hasn't gone unnoticed.
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If Adam's border troubles and Abbie's rebrand are indeed connected, then here's my message to her: it's too bloody little, too bloody late.
Put aside that I've heard better apologies from a toddler - I don't buy for a second that Abbie has 'done the work', had some great change of heart, and now wants to be less divisive and bring people together.
For years, her brand has been anger, division and controversy - spewing venom at anyone who didn't vote Greens.
From where I'm standing, Abbie built her fortune - only slightly dented by a recent defamation payout - on moralistic, black-and-white thinking that casts all conservatives as 'bad'. Without that, what does she have?
Her apology video - 'you misunderstood me!' might be a better title - looks like PR spin. Pure and simple.
Again, I'm speculating, but I can just imagine the heated phone call from the airport as Adam and Abbie put two and two together and realised: 'Wait… maybe running our mouths like this could cost us money?'
But if they think it's just a Trumpified America pushing back, they're wrong. Ordinary, middle-of-the-road Australians are fed up, too.
For years, Abbie was legitimised by the media, even as her words and actions went beyond the pale. Her unique selling point was women's rage. And yes, there are things worth getting angry about - but what happens when outrage stops being a response and becomes the product itself? A way to stay in headlines and sell products?
Those with long memories will recall her rhetoric peaked during Covid. I won't forget some of the things she said or those she monstered for holding the 'wrong' views.
Now it's 2026, and people are tired of it. She still has supporters, of course, but I suspect many follow Abbie for the circus, not because she's a generational thought leader.
I, for one, am thrilled to see the pendulum swinging the other way.
Those of us who watched her rise from the sidelines, wondering how this could happen in common-sense Australia, are cheering. I'm usually charitable when celebrities have a tough time in the spotlight. Not with Abbie.
But, as is often the case in my columns, there is one person I do feel for.
Poor old Keli 'Not Going On' Holiday.
